Chapter 9
Kelly
The backyard settles into an easy rhythm again after the mountain of presents has finally been opened.
Wrapping paper is scattered everywhere, colorful bows litter the grass, and empty gift bags lean against the legs of folding tables while conversations pick back up around us.
The girls are completely surrounded by new treasures.
Maddy sits in the middle of a blanket with her new wooden stacking blocks spread out around her. Every few seconds she proudly manages to stack two together before knocking them over with an excited squeal.
Madison has claimed one of the baby dolls as if it's the greatest thing she's ever seen. She's hugging it against her little chest while patting its head with surprising gentleness, occasionally stopping to inspect its plastic nose before trying to chew on it.
I laugh quietly.
"Sweetheart..." I gently pull the doll away before she can fit its entire face into her mouth. "I don't think babies are supposed to eat babies."
Madison looks thoroughly offended by my interruption and Mason chuckles beside me.
"I think she disagrees."
"I noticed."
A tiny giggle escapes Madison before she immediately reaches for the doll again.
On my other side, Maddy has abandoned her blocks completely and is trying to climb onto the Minnie Mouse toddler chair Bella and Stryker bought her. She gets one knee up. Then another. Then promptly slides backward onto her blanket with a surprised little "Oof."
Instead of crying...She laughs. Hard. The sound makes every bit of exhaustion from the day melt away.
"They're happy," Bella says softly from where she's sitting nearby.
I glance over. She has one hand resting unconsciously over the curve of her pregnant belly, smiling as she watches the girls explore everything they'd been given.
"So happy," I whisper.
Johnny is in heaven.
He has somehow managed to involve himself in every single toy.
He's pushing one of the doll strollers around the yard while announcing that it's actually a rescue vehicle for injured dinosaurs.
The baby doll riding inside apparently has a broken leg.
Tara follows behind him carrying the toy picnic basket, insisting they're taking food to the dinosaurs too.
I don't ask questions. At six years old, Johnny's imagination has rules only he understands. Mason leans over, brushing his shoulder against mine.
"You doing okay?"
I smile without looking away from the girls.
"I don't think I've stopped smiling all day."
"You haven't."
His fingers find mine, squeezing gently beneath the table where no one else can see.
"I like seeing you happy."
I turn toward him.
"I like being happy."
His eyes soften. For a moment, the noise around us fades into the background and it’s just us and our girls. Just this beautiful, ordinary day we'd fought so hard to earn.
Then Demon clears his throat.
Loudly.
"So..."
He stretches the word out far longer than necessary.
"What's taking those two so long?"
Across the yard, Stryker laughs.
"You made Ghost and Justice carry whatever it is."
"They're slow."
Justice had muttered several colorful opinions about that before disappearing around the side of the house with Ghost nearly five minutes ago. Now... Everyone seems to be waiting. Even the conversations begin slowing as people glance toward the driveway every few seconds.
"What do you think he bought?" Bella asks.
I shrug.
"I have no idea."
Knowing Demon... That could mean absolutely anything. A ridiculously oversized stuffed animal. Some noisy toy guaranteed to drive every parent insane. Matching leather jackets. Nothing would surprise me. Johnny suddenly appears beside my chair.
"Mom?"
"Yeah?"
"When's Uncle Demon gonna show us?"
I glance toward Demon.
"Looks like we're all waiting."
Johnny sighs dramatically. "I don't like waiting."
"I know, baby."
"It's boring."
"I know that too, baby."
"I could explode."
Mason laughs.
"Please don't."
Johnny considers that.
"...Okay."
Then he immediately runs back to Tara. The waiting stretches another minute. Maybe two. Then... A voice calls from the front of the house.
"We got 'em!"
Justice.
Every head in the backyard turns at once. The conversations stop almost instantly. Children abandon toys. Brothers stand. Even the girls pause long enough to look toward the side gate as if they somehow know something exciting is coming.
Ghost appears first, walking backward through the gate. Justice is behind him. The two of them are pulling something large enough that I can't quite see around the crowd gathering between us.
"What in the world..." Bella murmurs.
Someone near the grill gasps. Another brother lets out a low whistle.
"No way..." Stryker mutters.
Then another gasp ripples through the yard. Followed by another. Johnny's eyes grow so wide I think they might actually pop out of his head.
"No way!" he yells.
Before anyone can stop him, he takes off running across the yard at full speed.
"Johnny!" Mason calls automatically.
But our son doesn't even slow down. He's weaving between chairs and adults as fast as his little legs will carry him, desperate to get the first look.
"What is it?" Sarah asks, bouncing on her toes. "I can't see!"
I laugh quietly, still focused on Maddy as she proudly hands me one of her stacking blocks.
"What do you think they're all looking at?" Sarah asks.
"I honestly don't know."
More whistles. More laughter. Then…Beside me... I hear Mason suck in a sharp breath. A low curse slips under it.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
The tone of his voice makes my heart skip. I turn immediately.
"What?"
But Mason isn't looking at me. His eyes are locked on something near the gate. His entire expression has frozen somewhere between disbelief...and reluctant admiration.
Slowly... I follow his gaze.
For one second... My brain doesn't quite process what I'm seeing. Two tiny motorcycles. Perfectly matched. Parked side by side on the grass. Painted the prettiest shade of pearl pink.
Chrome gleams beneath the afternoon sun, throwing tiny flashes of light across the yard. The little black seats look like miniature versions of the bikes parked in front of the house, and each one has tiny handlebars with matching pink streamers fluttering gently in the breeze.
They're absolutely adorable.
My mouth falls open before I can stop it.
"Oh..."
The word escapes on its own. They're the cutest things I've ever seen.
Tiny.
Perfect.
Made for little girls.
Then the realization crashes into me. Those aren't toys someone brought over to show us. Those... Are Demon's presents. For my daughters.
"Oh my God."
I shoot to my feet so fast my chair nearly tips over behind me. Across the yard, Johnny has already reached the motorcycles. He's dancing excitedly around them, his hands waving wildly while Ghost struggles to keep him from climbing onto one.
"They're REAL!" Johnny shouts.
"I mean..." Justice laughs.
"Not real real."
"They're little motorcycles!"
"I KNOW!"
My eyes finally leave the bikes. They swing toward Demon. He's leaning casually against the picnic table, beer bottle in one hand, wearing the most smug, self-satisfied grin I've ever seen on his face.
Like he'd been waiting all afternoon for this exact reaction. The corners of his mouth twitch upward when our eyes meet.
"Surprise."
I stare at him.
"You..." I point toward the tiny motorcycles. "...You bought them motorcycles?"
Demon shrugs like he can't possibly understand why anyone would be shocked.
"They're Reapers."
His grin grows wider.
"They oughta learn to ride early."
Behind me, Mason mutters another curse under his breath. Stryker starts laughing so hard he has to brace a hand against Bella's shoulder. Justice throws both hands in the air.
"I told him this was a bad idea."
Ghost snorts.
"No, you didn't."
Justice pauses. "...Okay, I said I wanted one too."
The entire backyard erupts into laughter. Meanwhile, Johnny is practically vibrating beside the little motorcycles.
"Mom!" he shouts. "Dad! LOOK!"
As if there were any chance we'd missed them.